BUT AMERICA’S QUEST FOR OIL BEGAN FORTY YEARS BEFORE SPINDLETOP EVER PRODUCED ONE DROP OF OIL.

THE NATIVE AMERICAN INDIANS FOUND OIL SEEPING OUT OF THE ROCK CENTURIES BEFORE.

THEY USED IT FOR MEDICINE AND FOR TRADE WITH NEIGHBORING TRIBES.

ON AUGUST 27, 1859, DEWIN DRAKE DRILLED A 69.5 FOOT WELL NEAR TITUSVILLE, PENNSYLVANIA

AND BEGAN A SEARCH FOR OIL THAT CHANGED THE WAY WE LIVE ALL AROUND THE WORLD.

TODAY WE USE OVER 86 MILLION BARRELS OF OIL PER DAY AND IT'S EXPECTED TO REACH 98.5 MILLION BY 2015.

LAST YEAR THE COST OF OIL WENT OVER $100.00 A BARREL. MAKING THE COST OF OIL RISE OVER 500% IN JUST SIX YEARS.

TODAY THE COST FOR A BARREL OF OIL HAS DROPPED BACK DOWN BELOW $100 A BARREL, BUT THAT COULD CHANGE AT ANY MOMENT.

MORE THAN ANY OTHER FACTOR EXCEPT THE

RE-EMERGENCE OF THE NATION OF ISRAEL,

OIL IS THE KEY TO THE PROPHETIC EVENTS OF THE FUTURE.

OIL EXPLAINS WHY THE BIBLE FOCUSES ITS END TIME ATTENTION ON THE MIDDLE EAST.

DILIP HIRO WROTE;

THE OVERARCHING FACT IS THAT POLITICAL LEADERS ALL OVER THE WORLD ARE COMMITTED TO RAISING LIVING STANDARDS THROUGH ECONOMIC GROWTH, HEAVILY DEPENDANT ON ENERGY IN THE FORM OF GAS AND OIL.

OIL HAS BECOME THE NEW BASIS FOR OUR WORLD ECONOMY.

IT IS THE LIFE BLOOD THAT FLOWS THROUGH OUR ECONOMIC VEINS

JESUS SAID IN LUKE 12:56

YOU CAN DISCERN THE FACE OF THE SKY AND OF THE EARTH, BUT HOW IS IT THAT YOU DO NOT DISCERN THIS TIME?

UP UNTIL RECEINTLY, ALL OF THE WORLD’S OIL HAS BEEN TRADED IN US DOLLARS.

AND THIS HAS HELPED STABILIZE OUR ECONOMY.

IN ORDER TO KEEP THE DOLLAR STABLE,

THE UNITED STATES GOVERNMENT ENTERED INTO A RELATIONSHIP WITH SAUDI ARABIA,

THE WORLDS LARGEST OIL SUPPLIER.

THE AGREEMENT WAS THAT WE WOULD BACK THE SAUDI GOVERNMENT AS AN ALLY IF THE SAUDIES WOULD DEMAND THAT ALL PURCHASES OF OIL

WOULD ONLY BE IN US DOLLARS.

AND SO FAR THEY HAVE DONE THAT.

BUT ON FEBRUARY 17, 2008, IRAN OPENED ITS OWN TRADING EXCHANGE IN WHICH OIL IS BROKERED IN EUROS INSTEAD OF DOLLARS.

THIS NEW EXCHANGE IS THREATENING THE STABILITY OF THE DOLLAR.

VENESUELAN PRESIDENT HUGO CHAVEZ HAS MET SEVERAL TIMES WITH IRANIAN PRESIDENT MAHMOUD AHMADINEJAD

HE HAS VOWED TO UNITE THE PERSIAN GULF AND THE CARRIBEAN, GIVING IRAN ENTRÉE INTO LATIN AMERICA.

CONSIDERING THE FACT THAT MOST OF THE WORLD OIL RESERVES ARE IN THE MIDDLE EAST IT GETS EASIER TO SEE WHY THE END TIME PROPHESIES ARE CENTERED AROUND THIS AREA OF THE WORLD.

I. WHO USES MOST OF THE WORLD’S OIL?

MOST OF THE WORLD’S OIL IS USED BY FOUR COUNTRIES.

1. WE USE 20.7 MILLION BARRELS PER DAY

2. CHINA USING 7.27 MILLION BARRELS PER DAY

3. JAPAN USING 5.16 MILLION BARRELS PER DAY

4. RUSSIA USING 2.92 MILLION BARRELS PER DAY

IT WAS PROBABLY NO SURPRISE THAT AMERICA IS THE WORLDS MUMBER ONE OIL USER.

WE USE 25% OF ALL THE OIL PRODUCED IN THE WORLD.

IT IS PROJECTED THAT BY THE YEAR 2030 WE WILL USE 34% OF THE WORLD’S OIL.

ACTUALLY, IF YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT REFINED GASOLINE, THEN THE UNITED STATES USES 43% OF THE WORLD’S GASOLINE.

AND WE'VE BUILT NO NEW REFINERIES SINCE 1976

OUR GOVERNMENT HAS TRIED TO MAKE US DEVELOP NEW ALTERNATIVE FUELS,

BUT THIS INTERVENTION BY OUR GOVERNMENT

HAS ONLY CAUSED MAJOR UNINTENDED CONSEQUENCES.

WHEN THE CONGRESS ORDERED THE MANUFACTURE OF ETHONAL FROM CORN,

THEY CAUSED A HUGE SPIKE IN CORN PRICES MAKING THE PRICE OF FOOD GO UP.

THE HUNGRY PEOPLE COULDN'T AFFORD THE HIGHER PRICED CORN PRODUCTS,

WHILE ONLY SLIGHTLY REDUCING THE NEED FOR OIL.

AT THIS POINT IN TIME THERE IS NO ENERGY SOURCE THAT IS SHOWING PROMISE OF SOLVING OUR ENERGY PROBLEM.

UNTIL SOME BREAK THROUGH OCCURS,

THE UNITED STATES WILL CONTINUE TO BE HEAVILY DEPENDENT ON FOREIGN OIL.

II. THE CONFLICTS OVER THE WORLD’S OIL SUPPLY

ON OCTOBER 17, 1973 THE ARAB NATIONS GOT TOGETHER AND DECIDED TO REDUCE THEIR OIL PRODUCTION BELOW THE PREVIOUS NORM.

THEN THEY ATTEMPTED TO EMBARGO NATIONS THAT FAVORED ISRAEL.

PRINCIPLY THE UNITED STATES AND THE NETHERLANDS.

THE COST OF GAS JUMPED TO FOUR TIMES ITS PREVIOUS PRICE.

WE REDUCED THE SPEED LIMITS TO 55 MPH

THIS HOSTILE ACT MADE IT INCREASINGLY EVIDENT THAT THE ARAB WORLD WOULD USE THEIR CONTROL OF MAJOR OIL RESERVES TO CONTROL WORLD POWER.

THE PRICE OF OIL NEVER DID RETURN TO IT'S PREVIOUS LEVEL AFTER THE ARAB OIL BLACKMAIL OF 1973-74

AND THIS BEGAN THE FASTEST TRANSFER OF MONEY IN ALL OF HISTORY,

SUCKING DOLLARS OUT OF THE UNITED STATES AND FILLING ARAB TREASURIES.

FOR THE FIRST TIME IN CENTURIES, THE MIDDLE EAST BECAME A MAJOR CONSIDERATION IN EVERY INTERNATIONAL DECISION.

ON JANUARY 23, 1980, JIMMY CARTER

ANNOUNCED AN IMPORTANT POLICY CHANGE CONCERNING THE MIDDLE EAST.

HE SAID IN HIS STATE OF THE UNION ADDRESS;

LET OUR POSITION BE ABSOLUTELY CLEAR: AN ATTEMPT BY ANY OUTSIDE FORCE TO GAIN CONTROL OF THE PERSIAN GULF REGION WILL BE REGARDED AS AN ASSAULT ON THE VITAL INTERESTS OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA, AND SUCH AN ASSAULT WILL BE REPELLED B Y ANY MEANS NECESSARY INCLUDING MILITARY FORCE.

THIS BECAME KNOWN AS THE CARTER DOCTRINE

IT WAS USED IN THE GULF WAR OF 1990 WHEN SADDAM HUSSEIN SENT TROOPS INTO KUWAIT.

THE GULF WAR WAS THE FIRST WAR IN HISTORY

THAT WAS FOUGHT ALMOST ENTIRELY OVER OIL.

III. THE CONCERNS ABOUT THE WORLD’S OIL SUPPLY

ARE WE RUNNING OUT OF OIL?

FIRST OF ALL, THE WORLD IS NOT MAKING ANY NEW OIL.

ALL WERE DOING IS HARVESTING WHAT WAS CREATED AFTER NOAH'S FLOOD.

THE RATE OF NEW OIL FINDS HAVE BEEN DROPPING DRAMATICALLY.

1. THE 1960s LOCATED 47 BILLION BARRELS OF NEW OIL.

2. THE 1970s LOCATED 35 BILLION BARRELS OF NEW OIL.

3. THE 1980s LOCATED 24 BILLION BARRELS OF NEW OIL.

4. THE 1990s LOCATED 14 BILLION BARRELS OF NEW OIL.

SO THE FINDING AND LOCATING OF NEW OIL FIELDS HAS BEEN GOING DOWN DRAMATICALLY.

IN 2005 WE USED MORE OIL THAT WAS EVEN PRODUCED IN THE NEXT YEAR OF 2006.

IF THERE'S ANYTHING I UNDERSTAND ABOUT ALL THIS, IT'S THAT, ENERGY USE CANNOT EXCEED AVAILABLE SUPPLY.

OUR DEPENDENCE ON FOREIGN OIL HAS BECOME A MAJOR CONCERN.

ESPECIALLY WHEN THE FOREIGN OIL THAT WE USE

LIES UNDER THE CONTROL OF NATIONS THAT WE HAVE A TENUOUS OR HOSTILE RELATIONSHIP WITH.

PAUL ROBERTS SAID IN A BOOK THAT HE WROTE,

OUR ABILITY TO PROTECT OUR FOREIGN OIL INFLOW IS LIMITED AT BEST.

EVEN IF WE COMMIT TO USING BRUTE MILITARY FORCE.

IS THERE ANY OIL IN ISRAEL?

THE TRUTH IS THAT NO ONE KNOWS FOR SURE.

I'VE WONDERED WHY THE ARAB STATES HAVE SO MUCH OIL AND ISRAEL HAS NONE?

THERE'S A MAN NAMED JOHN BROWN THAT BELIEVES THERE IS A LARGE POOL OF OIL BENEATH ISRAEL AND HE QUOTES SCRIPTURE ABOUT IT.

Deuteronomy 33:24 (NIV)24 About Asher he said:

“Most blessed of sons is Asher;

let him be favored by his brothers,

and let him bathe his feet in oil.

Genesis 49:22-26 (NIV)

22 “Joseph is a fruitful vine,

a fruitful vine near a spring,

whose branches climb over a wall.

23 With bitterness archers attacked him;

they shot at him with hostility.

24 But his bow remained steady,

his strong arms stayed limber,

because of the hand of the Mighty One of Jacob,

because of the Shepherd, the Rock of Israel,

25 because of your father’s God, who helps you,

because of the Almighty, who blesses you

with blessings of the heavens above,

blessings of the deep that lies below,

blessings of the breast and womb.

26 Your father’s blessings are greater

than the blessings of the ancient mountains,

than the bounty of the age-old hills.

Let all these rest on the head of Joseph,

on the brow of the prince among his brothers.

BROWN CLAIMS THAT MAPS OF THE TERRITORY ALLOTTED TO THE TWELVE TRIBES SHOW THAT THE SHAPE OF ASHER'S AREA RESEMBLES A GIANT FOOT.

THAT FOOT IS DIPPED INTO THE TOP OR CROWN AREA BELONGING TO THE TRIBE OF MANASSEH. (ONE OF JOSEPH'S SONS)

BROWN BELIEVES THAT OIL IS LOCATED IN THAT AREA AND HE HAS BEEN GRANTED TWO EXTENDED LICENSES FOR HIM TO DRILL ON 162,100 ACRES IN THAT PARTICULAR AREA.

IF A LARGE QUANTITY OF OIL WERE TO BE FOUND IN ISRAEL, IT WOULD CHANGE THE DYNAMIC OF THE AREA CONSIDERABLY.

BUT INSPITE OF THIS TANTALIZING POSSIBILITY WE MUST CONTINUE TO DEAL WITH THE REALITY OF A WORLD WHERE OIL REMAINS IN THE CONTROL OF COUNTRIES THAT ARE BASICALLY HOSTILE TO ISRAEL AND TO US.

IV. HOW DOES THE OIL SITUATION AFFECT OUR FUTURE?

EZEKIEL TELLS OF A TIME WHEN RUSSIA WILL ATTACK ISRAEL.

THE PROPHET LISTED A COALITION OF SOME OF THE NATIONS THAT WOULD JOIN WITH RUSSIA IN THE ATTACK.

Ezekiel 38:1-6 (NIV)38 The word of the Lord came to me: 2 “Son of man, set your face against Gog, of the land of Magog, the chief prince of Meshech and Tubal; prophesy against him 3 and say: ‘This is what the Sovereign Lord says: I am against you, O Gog, chief prince of Meshech and Tubal. 4 I will turn you around, put hooks in your jaws and bring you out with your whole army—your horses, your horsemen fully armed, and a great horde with large and small shields, all of them brandishing their swords. 5 Persia, Cush and Put will be with them, all with shields and helmets, 6 also Gomer with all its troops, and Beth Togarmah from the far north with all its troops—the many nations with you.

UP UNTIL MARCH 21, 1935, PERSIA WAS THE OFFICIAL NAME OF THE COUNTRY WE NOW CALL IRAN.

RUSSIA RECENTLY SIGNED A BILLION DOLLAR DEAL TO SELL MISSILES AND OTHER WEAPONRY TO IRAN.

OVER 1000 IRANIAN NUCLEAR SCIENTISTS HAVE BEEN TRAINED IN RUSSIA BY SENIOR RUSSIAN SCIENTISTS.

THIS END TIME ALLIANCE WAS PROPHESIED 25 HUNDRED YEARS AGO. THE STAGE IS BEING SET.

THE ISSUE OF OIL BECOMES MORE AND MORE CRITICAL WITH EACH PASSING YEAR,

ESPECIALLY FOR WESTERN DEMOCRACIES, AND FOR ISRAEL.

WHAT WE'RE SEEING IS A CONVERGENCE OF NEGATIVE FACTORS AND PROCESSES IN THE MIDDLE EAST.

ALONG WITH THIS WE'RE SEEING THE WEALTH OF THE WORLD POUR INTO THESE ARAB CONTRIES AT AN EXPONENTIAL RATE.

IT'S ESTIMATED THAT THESE COUNTRIES HAVE OVER

4 TRILLION DOLLARS INVESTED AROUND THE WORLD.

4 TRILLION DOLLARS THAT THEY HAVE AMASSED FROM THE SALE OF OIL EXPORTS.

MUSLIM STRATEGISTS TELL THEIR FOLLOWERS;

WHY DO WE FIND IN THESE MODERN TIMES THAT ALLAH HAS ENTRUSTED MOST OF THE WORLD'S WEALTH PRIMARILY TO MUSLIM NATIONS?

THEIR ANSWER IS;

ALLAH FORESAW ISLAM'S NEED FOR FUNDS TO FINANCE A FINAL POLITICO-RELIGIOUS VICTORY OVER WHAT ISLAM PERCEIVES AS ITS ULTIMATE ENEMY:

THE ENEMY THEY ARE TALKING ABOUT IS

THE CHRISTIANIZED EURO-AMERICAN CIVILIZATION.

AYATOLLAH ALI KHAMENEI IS QUOTED AS SAYING;

THE OIL BELONGS TO THE PEOPLE

AND CAN BE USED AS A WEAPON AGAINST THE WEST

AND THOSE WHO SUPPORT THE SAVAGE REGIME OF ISRAEL....

IF ISLAMIC AND ARAB COUNTRIES....FOR ONLY ONE MONTH WERE TO SUSPEND THE EXPORT OF OIL TO ISRAEL AND ITS SUPPORTERS, THE WORLD WOULD BE SHAKEN.

THESE STATEMENTS DO NOT BODE WELL FOR THE UNITED STATED, ISRAEL AND THEIR WESTERN ALLIES.

WHAT ARE WE TO DO?

SO FAR TONIGHT, THERE HASN'T BEEN A LOT OF GOOD NEWS OR REASON TO BE OPTIMISTIC.

THE SECRET IS TO LOOK BEYOND THE PAST AND THE PRESENT AND FOCUS ON THE FUTURE.

WE HAVE BEEN GIVEN THE OPPORTUNITY TO BE OBSERVERS

OF THE STAGING OF EVENTS THAT ARE PRECEEDING THE COMING OF OUR LORD AND SAVIOR, JESUS CHRIST.

JESUS TOLD US THAT YOU CAN TELL WHEN SUMMER IS NEAR BY THE LEAVES OF THE FIG TREE.

WE CAN ALSO TELL THAT THE SON OF MAN IS RETURNING BY RECOGNIZING THE SIGNS GIVEN BY THE PROPHETS.

OK, SO WE AGREE THAT WE CAN SEE THE SIGNS,

BUT WHAT ARE WE SUPPOSED TO DO ABOUT IT.

FIRST OF ALL, WE WAIT.

James 5:7-8 (NIV)7 Be patient, then, brothers, until the Lord’s coming. See how the farmer waits for the land to yield its valuable crop and how patient he is for the autumn and spring rains. 8 You too, be patient and stand firm, because the Lord’s coming is near.

Matthew 24:36 (NIV)36 “No one knows about that day or hour, not even the angels in heaven, nor the Son, but only the Father.

SECOND OF ALL WE WORK.

SOME MODERN BELIEVERS SEEM TO HAVE THE IDEA THAT THE COMING OF CHRIST IS A CALL TO PASSIVITY.

THEY THINK WE SHOULD GIVE UP MAKING ANY BIG PLANS.

BUT THAT IS NOT WHAT IS MEANT BY WAITING.

JESUS SAID;

John 9:4 (NIV)4 As long as it is day, we must do the work of him who sent me. Night is coming, when no one can work.

AND IN;

Matthew 24:46 (NIV)46 It will be good for that servant whose master finds him doing so when he returns.

THE KEY TO PLEASING THE LORD IN THESE LAST DAYS

IS TO CONTINUE TO WORK DILIGENTLY

AT WHAT GOD HAS CALLED YOU TO DO.

SOMEONE ONCE ASKED

WHAT WOULD YOU LIKE TO BE DOING WHEN JESUS RETURNS?

LET ME ASK YOU THAT QUESTION.

WHAT WOULD YOU LIKE TO BE DOING WHEN THE TRUMPET SOUNDS AND JESUS COMES BACK?

I WOULD LIKE TO HAVE JUST LED SOMEONE

IN THE SINNERS PRAYER

AND TO SEE THEIR FACE AS THEY REALIZE THAT THEY HAVE JUST MADE IT INTO HEAVEN BY THE SKIN OF THEIR TEETH.

THE THIRD THING WE SHOULD BE DOING IS TO WATCH.

WAIT, WORK AND WATCH.

HOW DO WE KEEP ON GOING IN THIS ERA OF CHURCH HISTORY, WHEN THE FUTURE LOOKS SO BAD?

C.S.LEWIS NAILED IT WITH THESE WORDS THAT HE PENNED JUST BEFORE WORLD WAR II.

THIS IMPENDING WAR HAS TAUGHT US SOME IMPORTANT THINGS.

LIFE IS SHORT.

THE WORLD IS FRAGILE.

ALL OF US ARE VULNERABLE,

BUT WE ARE HERE BECAUSE THIS IS OUR CALLING.

OUR LIVES ARE ROOTED NOT ONLY IN TIME,

BUT ALSO IN ETERNITY,

AND THE LIFE OF LEARNING, HUMBLY OFFERED TO GOD, IS ITS OWN REWARD.

OUR TASK AS FAITHFUL STEWARDS IS TO

KEEP TO OUR DUTY, TO BE PATIENT, AND TO WATCH

ACTUALLY WE NEVER KNOW WHEN

OUR OWN PERSONAL END TIME WILL COME.

IT COULD COME AT ANY TIME.

SO WE MUST ALL KEEP DOING OUR GOD GIVEN TASKS.

WE MUST KEEP THAT CONNECTION TO THE HOLY SPIRIT OF GOD AND OBEY EVERYTHING HE TELLS US TO DO.

REMEMBER WHAT MORDECAI SAID TO QUEEN ESTHER.

Esther 4:14 (NIV)14 For if you remain silent at this time, relief and deliverance for the Jews will arise from another place,.... And who knows but that you have come to royal position for such a time as this?”

WHO KNOWS BUT THAT WE HAVE BEEN PUT WHERE WE ARE FOR SUCH A TIME AS THIS.

THE POINT IS THAT WE MUST BE DOING OUR PART AS AN AGENT OF GOD IN THIS DAY AND IN THIS AGE.